Automobile sanding device



Sept. 14,1948. c. F. BEAM AUTOMOBILE SANDING DEV-ICE Filed Jun '18, 1947 Patented Sept. 14, 1948 Chester F.`Beam, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Application June 18, 1947, Serial No. 755,398

1 Claim. (Cl. 291-25) My invention relates to devices for distributing sand to the'traction Wheels of 'an automobile in order to preclude skidding and slipping on icy pavements and to enhance traction as is found necessary according to weather and road conditions.

` It is highly desirable to equip an automobile with a sand spreader and such a device should be so organized that itis ready for instant use at al1 times. The sand must be kept in a dry and free flowing condition in order that the ap paratus may function eiiiciently especially during cold and rainy weather when demands are madeonit.

` Hence it is a primary object of my invention to provide an automobile sanding device of a reliable and serviceable character which is easy to operate, and which assuresthat the sand will be kept in a dry conditionat all times irrespective of prevailing weather-conditions.

A further object of my `invention is to provide in a sanding device an improved valve mechanism for`discharge of sand, which by virtue of its construction obviates any tendency for the material to become clogged in the passages or otherwise. l i

A still further object is to provide a structure by which exhaust gases are utilized as an effective heating medium for the sand whereby it is kept dry andassisted in discharge by the spent gases of combustion.

A distinctive feature of construction resides in theprovision -of a manual control for the discharge of sand which is so devised that it can be readily manipulated by the driver preferably by hand movement.

The instant invention is adapted to be installed on a standard motor vehicle as an accessory or original equipment. It is inexpensive to manufacture and presents an important improvement in the art.

The invention will be clearly understood by reference to the ensuing detailed description of a selected construction which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. It is not my intention to restrict my invention to the exact disclosure contained in said drawing as it will be apparent that such changes and modifications may be resorted to as come Within the scope of the subjoined claim.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view of the rear part of a motor vehicle showing the application of my invention thereto for distributing sand to the front of the traction wheels.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional aspect of Fig.. 1 taken substantially along theline 2--2 thereof.

Fig. 3 is aV vertical section of thelower end' of one of the discharge ducts showing the exhaust connection and the nozzle.

Fig. 4 is a side View in section of a valvebody belonging to the control valve of one of the dis-` charge ducts.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the control valve for the discharge ducts.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig7 is a vertical sectional View detailing the mounting of the operating handle of the valve control mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a perspective aspect detailing the valve control mechanism.

In carrying outmy invention I provide an individual sand box and discharge duct for each traction wheel of the vehicle. The sand boxes, indicated at 9, are of a suitable shape and construction, and each is desirably'located in the vicinity of a traction Wheel and forwardly there` of. 'Ihe sand boxes are of a capacity for-holding an adequate supply of material and are shown as supported within the body of the automobile. Preferably they Will be disposed at convenient but inconspicuous locations Where access may be had to them for filling purposes. i A suitable location may be adopted .either Within or externally of the vehicular body according to the dictates of the manufacturer. Anapproved closure may be used,

this and other minor details being left to the dis-` cretion of the maker.

Each sand box is supplied with a discharge duct, generally denoted at I0, extending downwardly and outwardly from its bottom for conducting sand to the adjacent traction wheel of the vehicle. The said discharge ducts are of identical construction and each includes an intermediate section Illa and a lower end section in the form of a nozzle I I inclined toward the adjacent traction wheel and having a downturned egress I2 for directing and spreading sand in front of the traction wheel.

Interposed in each of the discharge ducts I0 is a valve I3 comprising a body member forming a chamber I4 providing a vertically arranged through passage for material. The upper end of the chamber I4 is supplied with a seat I5 normally engaged by a valve proper I6. 'I'he faces of the seat and the valve proper are shown as of the beveled type. The valve proper is formed with a pair of spaced depending arms I'I on the lower ends of which is pivotally attached a saddle bar I8 having an offset or looped intermediate feg-idonee part I9. The part I9 of said saddle bar is engaged by an arm 20 of a bellcrank 2| pivoted on the valve body as at 22 with its companion arm 23 downwardly disposed for swinging outwardly under the influence of the control mechanism hereinafter described in detail.

The valve proper is biased toward the seat l5 by a compression spring 2li of the coil type disposed between the' arms il and Supported by a cross plate 25` also arranged 'between said arms andr carried by bolt-s 26. Said bolts are arranged parallelly to said Spring with their headed endsv inserted through openings in said body member and with their heads 2l accessible. The shanks of the bolts have screw-threaded engagement with said cross plate 25. sion of said spring-s can be adjusted by turning the bolts 2B. A pull exerted on the arm 23 of the bellcrank is operative to open the Valve for gravitational discharge of sand.

Also interposed in each of the discharge ducts lcll between the section lila and nozzlev Il thereof is a junction box 28 hayinga through passage 29 provided with a lateral inlet 3i] for exhaust gases. Said junction box is located. below the valve I3 andi-ssupplieel with an internal dividing wall 3l' in the form of a deflector extended downwardly from the wall portion 32 adjacent to said inlet 30 in order to deect introduced exhaustgases haust gasesfpromote forceful discharge of the sand and the derived heat effectively keeps the discharge duct and the stored material in a dry state.

.'Ihev said inlet 38 of each junction box is connected by a, branch pipe 33 to the regular exhaust pipe rearwardly of the mufer 35. In this way exhaust gases are diverted to the discharge dunts t0. l

The control mechanism for operation of the valves |23; comprises an arrangement of flexible elements: da trained over pulleys 3.1 and connected at. one end' to th-earms 231- of said bellcrank-s for exerting. an opening force on the valves proper |565.. connected' by a member 38' toy a. pull; rod' 39 slidably extendr'edf through the floor-board` 40. of the vehicle in the; vicinity of the drivers seat. Said pull rod is keyed as at 4| against` turning movemen-t andi supplied a. hand grip 42'.

Accordingly the tenl The other end of said flexible elements is,

From the preceding description it will be manifest that all the operator of the vehicle has to do in order to spread sand in front of each traction wheel is to pull on the handle 42 of the control mechanism, Which opens the valves in unison to effect a discharge of the material from the source of supply- Tn-e advantages and utility of the novel instrumentalities'o the ,irrventionjfwill be appreeiated byethos'e Afamiliar.with .the art,'= and it is not intended to limit the invention to the specific arrangement herein described inasmuch as such changes may `be made as come within the scope ofthe appended claim.

What I claim is:

In an automobile sanding device having a duct'for gravity ow of sand from a source of supply, a control valve therein comprising a body member interposed in said dis-charge duct provid- Y ing a vertical chamber defined in part by atop wallcentrally apertu'red to form an inlet, ysaid top wall having an outer face and an inner face said inner face providing a valve seat surrounding the central aperture in said top wall, a valve in said chamber having a top facernormallyengaging said seat and having a: pair of spaced de- Y pending arms.' a cross. plate disposed between said arms to extend transversely thereof, a compres-A sion coil spring disposed between said armsA with its upper end engaged with said valve and its lower end seated on ysai-dl. cross plate, bolts extending through openings provided in, said top wall atI opposite sides of said central apertura. said bolts having heads engaged with said outer face of said top wall and. being threadedly engagedl with said. cross plate for adjusting the tension of saidspring,l a saddle bar pivotally mounted oncsaidf arms belowv said'cross4 plate, and a bellcrank` pivoted on said: body member having an arm. engaged witl-i saidL saddle bar for opening said valve..

" .CHESTER F. BEAM.

REFERENCES oi'rED The following references are of record in: thele or this patent; Y

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